OHSU President Shereef Elnahal fired a key senior leader last week — abruptly and without public explanation.

In a Friday email to staff, Elnahal said that effective that day, he had let go of the Executive Vice President and CEO of the OHSU Health System, Tarek Salaway. Willamette Week first reported the news.

Salaway stepped into the role less than four months ago after a national search.

As health system CEO, he was in charge of operations at OHSU’s hospitals and outpatient clinics.

Salaway had, according to OHSU, nearly three decades of leadership experience in major West Coast markets, most recently as a senior vice president for Kaiser Foundation Health Plans in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Through an OHSU spokesperson, Elnahal declined to comment on Salaway’s departure.

OHSU Healthcare Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Renee Edwards is serving as acting CEO until an interim replacement is announced.

Salaway is being represented by attorney Jackie Ford.

In a statement emailed to OPB, Ford said during his brief tenure, Mr. Salaway had raised concerns related to patient safety, institutional stewardship and aspects of the workplace climate, including concerns about equity and inclusion.

She said there is documentation supporting his claims, but was unable to share it due to confidentiality or because it related to personnel matters.

She also shared a statement from Mr. Salaway.

“I remain confident the record will support the concerns I raised through the proper channels,” he wrote in the statement.

Salaway said he was disappointed by how events unfolded, but felt he’d done the right thing.

“As CEO, I have an ethical obligation to raise concerns when I believe there are issues that could affect the long-term integrity, safety, or sustainability of the institution,” he wrote. “My actions were guided by that duty.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/07/attorney-claims-former-ohsu-hospital-vp-raised-patient-concerns-before-he-was-fired/